Fun With

I do not believe in diets, but I do believe in healthy eating and balanced nutrition.

I love food, therefore I have to love exercise as well!

Understanding how the body works has revolutionised my eating habits.

Key things to remember:

• Never, EVER, diet!!!
• Eat when you are hungry
• Eat lots of food - healthy food
• Enjoy snacks - healthy snacks
• Drink lots of fluid
• Carbohydrates are not evil! Instead, carbohydrates are vital.
• Do not eat ready meals or take-aways regularly.  Instead, make a take-away a very rare treat!
• Limit the frequency of alcohol.
• Increase the amount of fibre you eat.

I am happy to help with nutrition advice.  Why not speak to me at one of the classes, or book a personal training session for nutrition advice?

• If you go on a reduced-calorie diet, you will lose your nutritional balance.
• Diets can make you hungry.  If you're hungry, you're more likely to lose willpower and resort to bad snacking.  If you're hungry, your body is telling you something and you should listen to it!
• If you're hungry, your body will use up the stored goodness in your muscles.  Fat is always the last thing your body will burn, as it takes more oxygen to burn fat.
• Your body needs lots of nutrients.  If you limit your intake of food, you will miss out on many of the things you need.
• You need to eat enough food, or you can become tired, which will make you crave sugar. This is when you are most at risk of bad snacking. 
• Swap your normal snacks for healthy snacks, such as dried fruits, cereal bars, nuts, fresh fruit, brown/whole meal bread or cereals and other high-fibre goodies.
• When increasing your fluid intake, it doesn't all have to be water.  Drink lots of fluid including Tea, Coffee, Squash, Juices and Water.
• If you're drinking enough fluid, then you can tell by checking the colour and smell of your urine.  It should be odourless and practically clear.  If it's too yellow, you are DEHYDRATED.  
• If you're thirsty - it's too late - you're already dehydrated!  You should drink to prevent getting thirsty.
• Ready Meals and Take-Aways are very high in Salt, Fat, Sugar, Additives and Preservatives, which are poison to your body.
• You should make sure that Carbohydrates are a major part of your daily food intake - around 50% of what you eat should be carbohydrate.  Carbohydrates are easily converted to sugars in your body and are the best source of energy, because they take less effort for your body to process.
• Eating enough fibre each day will help to prevent bowel and stomach cancer.  These types of cancer can be caused/triggered by food being present in your system for too long. Illnesses such as constipation and diverticulosis are common in people whose fibre intake is too low.
• Fibre speeds up movement of food in your system.  Your poo should be soft and should not take an effort to leave your body!
• Foods high in fibre include:
• Wholemeal bread (avoid white bread at all costs!)
• Grains and Seeds
• Skins of Fruit and Vegetable (don't peel them unless entirely necessary!)
• Brown Rice
• Brown Pasta
• Brown Cereals
• Drinking too much alcohol dehydrates you and can depress you.  You should not be reliant on alcohol to lift your mood.  Take alcohol in moderation and use as an occasional treat.

Take a look at the "Plate" to help improve your daily food balance.  The Eat Well Plate is part of the Food Standards Agency's drive to make it easier for everyone to have a balanced nutritional food intake.


Overall, I believe that a little of what you fancy does you good.  As with most things in life, take all things in moderation.